MMSI = Maritime Mobile Service Identify

[Gamayun]

Yessiree Bob, I think we got us a list!

So, I've been reading up on this DSC stuff and it's really very cool. Whether you have that fancy chart plotter capability or not, if anyone should receive a DSC alert, we should always "accept" it so that Lat/Long and other information can be seen on the radio.

More importantly, we could use the DSC calling function like old-fashioned party lines to speak with several boats at once so that when we're drifting aimlessly in the TBF, we'll have something else to do than yell at the flogging sails. Of course, this won't be considered "outside help," now will it?

 

[Critter]

I read the manual carefully when I got my DSC VHF, and it all made sense. A couple of days later: poof! all gone. This techie mumbo jumbo just doesn't stick in my brain.

Now there's a blinking symbol on my display. I guess I should dig out the manual again and find out what it means and how to turn it off. At least the Coast Guard hasn't turned up at my slip to rescue me.

 

[BobJ]

They've made it too complicated, even for someone who reads the Internal Revenue Code for a living. I think that's why DSC hasn't caught on. For most of us it's "what's that loud noise coming from my radio?"

Once I know the steps for responding to a distress call, getting it on the plotter, etc. I'm putting it all on a card in the nav station.

 

[Philpott]

Once I know the steps for responding to a distress call, getting it on the plotter, etc. I'm putting it all on a card in the nav station.

Anything will be better than depending upon the coasties. They talk so fast, they mumble, they rattle off the coordinates once and that's it. If my life depended upon them I'd be cold and drowned.

 

[Gamayun]

Anything will be better than depending upon the coasties. They talk so fast, they mumble, they rattle off the coordinates once and that's it. If my life depended upon them I'd be cold and drowned.

Jackie, that's how EVERYONE sounds on the radio! Perhaps ask those whose lives did depend on the Coasties to see if they have the same opinion. We have two CG rescue swimmers who are members of our club. I've also read about some of their (many) rescues. I'd put my life in their hands any day -- and as an added plus they're super cute, super fit, amiable young guys.

 

[pogen]

The DSC radios have a red button, which does something. Otherwise, the notion that a shorthander is going to look up numbers and enter them into the handset to call a ship by number is a little far fetched. I think a few people had stars in their eyes when they added that DSC requirement to the offshore regs.

 

[Philpott]

Jackie, that's how EVERYONE sounds on the radio! Perhaps ask those whose lives did depend on the Coasties to see if they have the same opinion. We have two CG rescue swimmers who are members of our club. I've also read about some of their (many) rescues. I'd put my life in their hands any day -- and as an added plus they're super cute, super fit, amiable young guys.

I agree they are super cute, super fit and amiable guys. What I meant to write was this: When I am sailing on the Bay and the Coast Guard comes on the radio to announce a person overboard or an overturned boat or a huge log, the coordinates are rattled off so quickly that I don't see how I could possibly 1/grab a piece of paper to write them down; 2/plug them into my handheld Garmin gps; or 3/plug them into either my fixed or handheld dsc radio (which I just bought. resentfully.). And certainly, Carliane, they are no cuter, fitter or amiable than our own Club members.

 

[BobJ]

Darn (burp) right!

I have the highest regard for the S&R personnel in the Coast Guard but Jackie is correct - the folks on the radio at Sector SF talk way too fast. They must be trained that way because they all do it. I'm pretty certain the reasoning is to keep Ch. 16 clear for as great a time as possible. However if their message is unintelligible, why bother broadcasting it at all? Also, what's the most important part of what you're broadcasting:

"Securitesecuritesecuritehelloallstationshelloallstationsthisistheunitedstatescoastguardtheunitedstatescoastguardbreak"

or

"The vessel in distress is at position thirty-seven degrees, fifty point zero minutes north by one hundred twenty-two degrees, thirty-four point one minutes west, I repeat . . ."

 

[Gamayun]

Darn (burp) right!

I have the highest regard for the S&R personnel in the Coast Guard but Jackie is correct - the folks on the radio at Sector SF talk way too fast. They must be trained that way because they all do it. I'm pretty certain the reasoning is to keep Ch. 16 clear for as great a time as possible. However if their message in unintelligible, why bother broadcasting it at all?

OK, yes; the guy who might pluck yer silly arses out of the water, is not the same 18-year-old ensign who's being given his/her first Coastie assignment on the radio. We could always ask them to repeat the message, no...? If we ask for a repeat enough times, maybe they're being supervised so these would count against their performance reports. Perhaps I'll also just drop a comment next time I'm over there doing some CG Aux thing.

 

[Gamayun]

The DSC radios have a red button, which does something. Otherwise, the notion that a shorthander is going to look up numbers and enter them into the handset to call a ship by number is a little far fetched. I think a few people had stars in their eyes when they added that DSC requirement to the offshore regs.

My understanding is that a certain number of MMSIs can be pre-programmed into the radio. I need to verify this.

 

[BobJ]

I have to check my VHF too but I know I can program a bunch into my chartplotter. Then when it receives the DSC data string from the VHF it will show the name and position on the plotter (if it's an MMSI I've entered). What I won't know initially is whether I'm looking for a boat or a person in the water with a handheld. Hopefully they'll tell me when I acknowledge the call.

Re the Coast Guard, I live under the delusion that they read every post on this gripping Forum. I'm sure they'll slow down their VHF speaking speed like, tomorrow.

 

[Harrier]

I have occasionally felt, based upon hearing their product over the radio, that the USCG tends to put poorly qualified people in their communication slots. Or at least, they receive poor supervision. Most of my own problems understanding CG voice communications could be alleviated by training in ENUNCIATION, along with an admonition to "SLOW DOWN!".

 

[Wylieguy]

The Coast Guard likes to train its members to be versatile so they can fulfill various duties. I think the young voices we hear on VHF are sitting in the radio room for the first times after training school. Yes, they have to learn. Mostly they read Security messages and read from a script if someone calls in with engine trouble or something not too serious. In my experience listening to CG radio contacts, when there's an emergency a senior voice takes over the mic. I hope if I have to communicate with a Coast Guard cutter or aircraft far offshore that the person I'm talking with has spent some time on the mic and been taught right - maybe even sitting in front of the mic I'm listening to on SF Bay.

 

[mike cunningham]

Ring- Ring: Do you have 5 minutes to discuss how this new widget can make your boat lighter, stronger and faster while also building muscle and whitening your teeth for only 3 easy payments of $19.95?

OK... business plan: Harvest MSSIs, set up a bank of DSC VHF radios in a mobile van. Attract advertisers who wish to directly communicate with their customers about the goodness of their marine (or any) products.

Scenario: Drive over to three bridge fiasco venue, monitor competitors progress or lack thereof via DSC position polling, ID slow boats, fast boats and target ads accordingly. "Hey (name of boat here) you are looking a little slow today need a bottom job? call xxxxxx". or "(Name of boat here) Dude! you are one fast **** today. finish this race and head to (sponsors name here) for discounted brews and good times"

Unicorn baby!...I'll soon be a billionaire.

 

[Philpott]

OK... business plan: Harvest MSSIs, set up a bank of DSC VHF radios in a mobile van. Attract advertisers who wish to directly communicate with their customers about the goodness of their marine (or any) products.

Scenario: Drive over to three bridge fiasco venue, monitor competitors progress or lack thereof via DSC position polling, ID slow boats, fast boats and target ads accordingly. "Hey (name of boat here) you are looking a little slow today need a bottom job? call xxxxxx". or "(Name of boat here) Dude! you are one fast **** today. finish this race and head to (sponsors name here) for discounted brews and good times"

Unicorn baby!...I'll soon be a billionaire.

Very entrepreneurial of you. My idea? A coffee/ espresso boat. There and gone before the city (which one?) shows up to ask about a business license, proof of unemployment account etc. Mmmmm. I can taste that organic Guatemalen latte now.

 

[ChrisK]

If somebody fell off their boat with a DSC handheld and pressed the emergency button, and I was sailing near by with my DSC handheld, what would I hear/see?

I have heard a loud beep from my fixed VHF at the nav station a few times. I assume it was a DSC hail, maybe an emergency. I'm not sure. I don't know how I would know. Nobody knows my DSC number so I don't think it was somebody hailing me.

Oh, just in case somebody is making a list:
Puffin : 367097110

 

[Gamayun]

If somebody fell off their boat with a DSC handheld and pressed the emergency button, and I was sailing near by with my DSC handheld, what would I hear/see?

I have heard a loud beep from my fixed VHF at the nav station a few times. I assume it was a DSC hail, maybe an emergency. I'm not sure. I don't know how I would know. Nobody knows my DSC number so I don't think it was somebody hailing me.

Oh, just in case somebody is making a list:
Puffin : 367097110

BAMA did a test of the DSC alert for the Doublehanded Farallones Race about 2 years ago. It was good info and CG was there. I wish SSS would do this. IIRC, the radio alarm was extremely loud and would drive you crazy until you either "accepted" the alert or "ignored" it. Your response should be to accept the alert, even if you are not in the vicinity, because then you could get the Lat/Long info, relay the message you received (if you didn't hear a voice response from CG) and possibly see the nature of the distress (MOB, fire, sinking, whatever). This is the main reason I keep a VHF on my PFD in the bay. I've always just assumed that pushing the little red button brings the cavalry....would be nice to know fer shur.

 

[K38Bob]

BAMA did a test of the DSC alert for the Doublehanded Farallones Race about 2 years ago. It was good info and CG was there. I wish SSS would do this. IIRC, the radio alarm was extremely loud and would drive you crazy until you either "accepted" the alert or "ignored" it. Your response should be to accept the alert, even if you are not in the vicinity, because then you could get the Lat/Long info, relay the message you received (if you didn't hear a voice response from CG) and possibly see the nature of the distress (MOB, fire, sinking, whatever). This is the main reason I keep a VHF on my PFD in the bay. I've always just assumed that pushing the little red button brings the cavalry....would be nice to know fer shur.

Here's that demo including video.
http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/content.php?4288-DSC-Calling-Who-s-Gonna-Answer

We did it last year as well and likely this year too- feel free to attend. Skippers Meeting Wed 3-23-16. DHF 3-26-16

 

[Wylieguy]

Chris, I guarantee if someone within range pushed the red button you'll hear it. Big time. I think Bob's invite to attend the BAMA meeting is a good one. DSC has a very large range of possible uses. For instance, if the MMSI for every boat in the SSS Farallones Race was in a group call register (I know that's not the correct term), someone with that list of numbers could poll the fleet and your radio was automatically respond with all the DSC info - especially where you were (Lat./Long.). A radio at Lands End, for instance, could determine who was still racing and where they were for safety checks without you having to do anything on your boat - just keep busy saililng.

There's also the possibility of "daisy chaining" from one DSC radio to another. and the list goes on. From the safety viewpoint, DSC simplfies an SOS call. All the person in distress has to do is push the button and location, etc. is broadcast to the CG again, without your having to punch in numbers. Since the CG has antennas at high altitudes, they can hear VHF calls much better than we can. Can they hear someone in the water with a 5 watt handheld? Depends. The more battery you have, the more likely your radio is going to put out something like 5 watts. That's why I keep my DSC handheld off and use another handheld (I have several due to changing requirements!) for casual communication. I figure in an emergency I can punch two buttons: the power on and the DSC.

 

[Harrier]

Don't know how to properly introduce this, but here goes. I sent a Christmas card to Robert and Jeanne Crawford at their MiWok Village address. It was returned to me today as undeliverable. Anyone have news of them? Robert is a two time SHTP vet, the last time in a Cal 20!